If a room is to be cleared of flies, one of these birds set at liberty in it will soon effect it; it catches them flying with great skill and agility. When a thorny branch is given it, it impales all its flies, making at the same time the drollest and most singular movements. This species easily and quickly learns to whistle airs, but it forgets them with the same facility, in order to learn new ones.
Corvus Corax, LINNÆUS; Le Corbeau, BUFFON; Der Kolkrabe, BECHSTEIN.
This and the three following species ought not to be reckoned among house birds; but as they are easily taught to speak, and are often reared for that purpose, I must not neglect to mention them here.
The raven is well known. Its length is two feet, of which the tail measures eight inches and three quarters. The colour, which is black, in particular lights reflects a violet tint on the upper, and green on the lower part of the body, of the wings and tail. The throat is of a paler black.
Of all the birds of this genus, distinguished by having the beak in the form of a knife, and the base furnished with strong bristles which extend forward, the raven, on account of the size of its tongue, is the best fitted to articulate words; hence, in Thuringia, people are often saluted, on entering an inn, with some abusive language from one of these ravens, confined near the door, in a large cage like a tower. When it has been reared from the nest (which must be done in order to teach it to speak) it may be left at liberty; it will come when called by name to receive its food. Everything which shines must be put out of its way, particularly gold and silver, as it does not fail to carry it off, like the other birds of its kind. One, which was brought before Augustus, had been taught to repeat, _Ave Cæsar, victor, imperator_, in order to salute him on his return from victory.
Some people are accustomed to cut what is called the nerve of the tongue, supposing that it would make them better able to articulate sounds; but it seems most probable that this cruel practice is of little use, and, like many others, only a vulgar prejudice, for I have heard ravens speak perfectly well without having the tongue touched.
This bird was very much prized at a time when divination made a part of religion. Its most minute actions, all the motions of its flight, and the different sounds of its voice, were carefully studied; in the latter, people pretending to discover even sixty-four different modulations, besides many shades still more delicate and difficult to determine. This must certainly have required an excessively fine ear, as its croaking is particularly simple. Every alteration, let it be ever so slight, had its particular signification. Impostors were not wanting, who pretended to understand, or dupes who easily believed, these idle fancies. Some have carried their folly to such a pitch as to persuade themselves that by eating the heart and entrails of the raven they would acquire its gift of prophecy.